Mental Health Bill

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which black and other ethnic organisations have been consulted on the race equality assessment of the Mental Health Bill.

Liam Byrne: Our Race Equality Impact Assessment Advisory Group, included representation from groups such as the Afiya Trust, Diverse Minds and the All Wales Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health Group. In addition to consultation events, close consultation with the Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health Network, focus groups in 13 hospitals and web based consultation, we have also had direct submissions from groups such as the African and Caribbean Mental Health Commission and from the Royal College of Psychiatrists Ethnic Minority Group.

NHS Dentistry

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the new dental contract is having on remuneration for dentists undertaking NHS work.

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the new dental contract is having on remuneration for dentists undertaking NHS work.

Rosie Winterton: A committed NHS dentist typically earns an average £80,000 per year. New dental contracts are being introduced from April. Dentists' NHS incomes are guaranteed at current earnings levels until 2009. Dentists in personal dental services arrangements agree a contract with fixed monthly remuneration. This will apply to new general dental services contracts from April.

NHS Dentistry

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists have been practising in Hemel Hempstead constituency in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		General dental services (CDS) and personal dental services (PDS)—Dentists in Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency as at 30 September each year
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 36 
			 1998 38 
			 1999 38 
			 2000 44 
			 2001 44 
			 2002 48 
			 2003 44 
			 2004 48 
			 2005 50 
		
	
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board

Chlamydia Screening Programme

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the National Chlamydia Screening Programme.

Caroline Flint: Chlamydia screening in England began in April 2003 in 10 areas and was extended to a further 16 areas in April 2004. The 26 programmes cover 25 per cent. of all primary care trusts and offers opportunistic screening to asymptomatic sexually active men and women under 25 years of age. National screening will begin in April 2006. We are currently on target for full implementation in 2007, as set out in the White Paper "Choosing Health: Making Healthier choices easier" published in 2004, copies of which are available in the Library.

Chlamydia Screening Programme

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to improve access to Chlamydia screening.

Caroline Flint: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme, started in April 2003 in 10 areas and was extended to a further 16 areas in April 2004. We are on target for full implementation by 2007.
	In addition to the screening programme, we have also contracted Boots to evaluate the potential of retail pharmacies as Chlamydia screening venues. Screening began on 14 November.
	The key drivers of the project are wider and easier access to screening services in order to provide quick and easily available screening options.

Paddington Health Campus Report

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has read the independent report on "The Paddington Health Campus: The Lessons Learnt"; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This report was commissioned by North West London strategic health authority and is for the SHA to consider and respond to in the first instance. However, its conclusions largely concur with a joint Department of Health, Treasury and National Audit Office report into the project which was published last year and which has been acted upon by the Department.

Nurses

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to extend the role of nurses.

Caroline Flint: We have developed new clinical roles like nurse consultants and modern matrons and community matrons. We have introduced initiatives such as prescribing rights for nurses. We have provided support for new advanced nursing roles in all settings and funded thousands of nurses to take part in leadership programmes.

Anti-depressant Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) number of prescription items and (b) prescription expenditure has been for anti-depressant drugs in each year since 1984; and what the percentage change was between (i) 1984 and 1994, (ii) 1994 and 2004 and (iii) 1984 and 2004.

Jane Kennedy: The number of anti-depressant medicines prescribed by the national health service in England between 1984 and 2004 and the cost of these items during this period is shown in table 1.
	
		Table l: NHS anti-depressant prescription medications in England 1984–2004: quantity and cost
		
			  Number of anti-depressant medicines prescribed on the NHS in England Value of anti-depressant items prescribed on the NHS in England (£) 
		
		
			 1984 6,885,619 25,373,866 
			 1985 6,769,247 25,981,683 
			 1986 7,029,186 27,334,792 
			 1987 7,176,740 30,084,435 
			 1988 7,348,989 31,992,693 
			 1989 7,666,176 35,358,676 
			 1990 8,026,669 40,867,911 
			 1991 8,954,500 54,046,476 
			 1992 9,914,330 81,117,564 
			 1993 10,776,690 98,829,813 
			 1994 11,816,438 117,246,286 
			 1995 13,227,137 146,832,856 
			 1996 14,960,610 191,242,848 
			 1997 16,822,563 239,120,545 
			 1998 18,424,473 279,004,273 
			 1999 20,108,130 315,269,246 
			 2000 22,021,840 310,378,169 
			 2001 24,342,713 341,660,880 
			 2002 26,329,382 380,883,112 
			 2003 27,657,990 395,178,028 
			 2004 28,995,511 400,681,709 
		
	
	The percentage change, in prescription volumes and costs between 1984 and 1994, 1994 and 2004 and 1984 and 2004 is shown in table 2.
	
		Table 2: NHS anti-depressant prescription medications in England: volume and cost percentage changes 1984–94; 1994–2004; and 1984–2004 Percentage change
		
			   Period NHS anti-depressant medications in England: volume growth change NHS anti-depressant medications in England: cost change 
		
		
			 1984–94 71.6 362.1 
			 1994–2004 145.4 241.7 
			 1984–2004 321.1 1,479.1

Anti-tumour Necrosis Therapy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how anti-tumour necrosis therapy out-patients costs will be calculated under the payments by results scheme; and when procedures for purchasing anti-tumour necrosis therapy out-patient services will come into effect;
	(2)  how much money was spent on anti-tumour necrosis therapy in England in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what the total budget for anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy is for 2006–07 in England;
	(4)  how many patients have received anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy in England in each of the last five years;
	(5)  how many patients are waiting to commence anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy in England.

Liam Byrne: Anti-tumour necrosis therapy is already commissioned at local level under arrangements that should cover the cost of patient attendances at outpatient clinics as well as any anti-tumour necrosis factor drugs (anti-TNF drugs). From 2006–07, payment by results will apply a national tariff to rheumatology out-patient clinics. The tariff will set the price for out-patient attendances and will exclude the additional cost of anti-TNF drugs, for which funding will continue to be negotiated locally. These arrangements are already operating in 2005–06 for national health service foundation trusts and other early implementers of payment by results.
	The cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community for the three anti-TNF drugs is shown in the table.
	
		Cost of prescriptions dispensed for anti-TNF drugs, 2000–04
		
			  Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2000 12,000 
			 2001 198,000 
			 2002 327,000 
			 2003 833,000 
			 2004 2,312,000 
		
	
	However, the main use for these drugs was in hospitals. An estimate for 2004 costs for anti-TNF drugs dispensed in hospitals, based on a large sample of hospitals, is £71,658,000.
	Health bodies are obliged to fund, from general allocations, anti-TNF treatment for those with severe rheumatoid arthritis who meet the clinical guidelines set by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
	The Department does not hold information on the number of people who have received anti-TNF treatments.
	We do not collect information on waiting lists for specific treatments.

Departmental Expenditure (Child Care)

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent on (a) child care and (b) child care vouchers for its staff in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has a yearly budget allocation for a range of child care provision, including subsidised on-site play-scheme places, nursery and out-of-school allowances that are payable to eligible parents.
	The total allocation is shown in the table.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Amount allocated 
		
		
			 2005–06 127,000 
			 2004–05 220,000 
			 2003–04 220,000 
			 2002–03 270,000 
			 2001–02 95,725 
		
	
	The Department does not currently offer child care vouchers to staff, but is currently reviewing its child care provision and is looking favourably at child care vouchers as part of a salary sacrifice scheme.

General Practitioners

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) the total number of statins and (b) the number per 1,000 population was prescribed by general practitioner practices in Dacorum Primary Care Trust for the years (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Total items prescribed the total number of patients and total number of statins items per1,000 population of Dacorum Primary Care Trust (PCT)
		
			  Financial 
			  2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Prescriber name PCT Dacorum PCT Dacorum 
			 British National Formulary name Statins Statins 
			 Total items 43,874 56,722 
			 Total patients 149,955 149,852 
			 Total number of Statin items per 1,000 population 292.6 378.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	ePACT Data
	This information was obtained from the prescribing analysis and cost tool (PACT) system, which covers prescriptions prescribed by general practitioner (GP) practices in England and dispensed in the community in the United Kingdom. For data at PCT level, prescriptions written by a GP practice located in a particular PCT but dispensed outside that PCT will be included in the PCT in which the GP practice is based. Prescriptions written in England but dispensed outside England are included.
	Prescriptions written in hospitals or clinics that are dispensed in the community, prescriptions dispensed in hospitals and private prescriptions are not included in PACT data. It is important to note this as some BNF sections have a high proportion of prescriptions written in hospitals that are dispensed in the community.
	For example, BNF chapter 4, "Central Nervous System" has a fair proportion of items written in mental health clinics that are dispensed in the community—these prescriptions are not included in PACT data.

Household Products (Health Effects)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research has been conducted into the impact upon (a) indoor air quality and (b) human health of the use of air fresheners; what advice has been given to the public relating to their use; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department is aware of recent research by the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children team at the University of Bristol on the effect on health of the use of household products including air fresheners 1 . The results have been noted. However, it is important to be cautious about their interpretation until the results have been supported by other research.
	The committee on the medical effects of air pollutants has published a document, "Guidance on the Effects on Health of Indoor Air Pollutants" on its website at: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/PDFS/guidanceindoorairQualityDec04.pdf This contains a brief section on volatile organic compounds and on household products. It advises that ensuring good ventilation in homes is the best way to reduce exposure.
	1 Farrow et al (2003) Arch.Env.Health 58(10):633–641; Sherriff et al (2005) Thorax 60(1): 45–49.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to develop a recovery plan for the period after a possible influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: "The UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" recognises that returning to normal business after a pandemic may take some time for all organisations. We will encourage business and service sectors to consider recovery in their planning for a possible influenza pandemic.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay the assumption of the number of people likely to be affected by an influenza pandemic in her Department's contingency plan; and what preparation is being made for a worst case scenario.

Rosie Winterton: The base scenario in the United Kingdom influenza pandemic contingency plan assumes that 25 per cent. of the population would have clinical symptoms of pandemic 'flu. This is based on the best available evidence, including considerations of influenza pandemics in the 20th century and independent experts. However, there are many uncertainties and the number of people affected and the impact on the health care system will depend on the nature of the pandemic 'flu virus. That is why the plan outlines scenarios with different numbers of people affected.
	The base scenario also considers that at least 0.37 per cent. of those ill will die from pandemic influenza or complications. This is based on the proportion seen in seasonal 'flu and the 1957 pandemic. Scenarios with a case fatality rate of up to 2.5 per cent. (greater than the pandemic of 1918–19) are also considered in the plan. Local planners are encouraged to consider the range of fatality rates when drawing up their local contingency plans.

Intermediate Care Beds

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intermediate care beds there were in England in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 14 November 2005
	As at 31 March 2005, there were 29,500 places benefiting over 360,000 people. The NHS Plan aimed for an extra 6,700 places for intermediate care by March 2005; 5,000 residential and 1,700 non-residential places. The national health service has delivered an extra 18,095 places; 270 per cent. more than the combined target. The available data is shown in the table.
	
		Number of intermediate care beds 1999–2000 to 2004–05.
		
			  Places in non-residential IC schemes Intermediate Care beds People using Intermediate Care 
		
		
			 1999–2000 7,149 4,242 132,447 
			 2000–01 (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 2001–02 13,878 7,021 246,034 
			 2002–03 19,078 7,493 284,365 
			 2003–04 17,339 8,697 333,821 
			 2004–05 20,558 8,928 362,664 
		
	
	(3) Information not collected
	Source:
	Statistical Summary to Chief Executive's Report to the NHS (13 May 2005)

MRSA

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent action the Government have taken to reduce the number of cases of MRSA in hospitals.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has established a wide ranging programme of mutually reinforcing activities to support our target to halve methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections (bacteraemias) by March 2008.
	A recent key initiative in June 2005 was the launch of "Saving Lives", which brings many of the programme's activities together to provide trusts with a tool to implement best practice and reduce infection rates. Other recent projects include the launch in September 2005 of new e-learning tools for all national health service staff and in October, enhancement of the MRSA surveillance system.

Pesticides

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to disseminate information on toxicological impacts of pesticides on human beings; and what monitoring and reporting mechanisms are in place.

Caroline Flint: The Department works closely with other Government Departments and agencies on matters related to the toxicological impacts of pesticides on humans. Information on toxicological impacts of pesticides is widely available to the public. Evaluation documents are published on the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) website, and such information is published in the ACP annual report. Information is also available from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
	The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs' pesticides safety directorate (PSD) carries out a yearly survey into all human health incidents reported to approvals holders for amateur and professional pesticide products by users. The results of this survey are published on the PSD website at www.pesticides.gov.uk/home.asp. Any potential exposures to pesticides should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who will investigate complaints involving ill health arising because of a work activity. Once an investigation is complete, details of investigated cases are sent for examination to the HSE's Pesticides Incident Appraisal Panel (PIAP). PIAP reviews all the reports and publishes its conclusions in an annual report that is reviewed by the ACP. The Department of Health has an assessor on the ACP.
	Following recommendations of the recent report by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution on "Crop spraying and the health of residents and bystanders" the Government will be reviewing these arrangements.

Podiatry

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many podiatry services there are in England broken down by (a) primary care trust and (b) hospital setting.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 10 November 2005
	The information requested is not collected centrally. However, all primary care trusts will commission these services to meet the needs of their local population.

Prostate Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to raise awareness of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer among men; and how many PSA tests have been carried out in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The NHS Prostate Cancer Programme, launched in September 2000, set out the Government's commitment to improve early detection of prostate cancer. The prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP) has been set up to ensure that all men considering a test for prostate cancer are given information on the benefits, limitations and risks associated with having a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
	Raising public awareness of prostate cancer is one of the key challenges for the future. We want men to know what their prostate is, what is does and what can go wrong with it. However we have to raise public awareness in a responsible way so as not to cause undue anxiety and worry. Thanks to the work of the prostate cancer advisory group we now have, for the first time, a definitive set of key messages for the general public about the prostate gland, including prostate cancer. The key messages have been agreed by 20 organisations, including charities, patient groups and professional bodies as well as the Department.
	On 31 October, we announced a joint venture to pilot raising awareness of the prostate using the key messages in a primary care trust area. The effectiveness of the intervention will be fully evaluated, along with the impact on local health services. £100,000 is being provided by the Government, with the remaining £50,000 being provided by signatories to the prostate cancer charter for action. The pilot is due to begin in spring 2006.
	We have provided funding for the following organisations to increase public awareness of prostate cancer:
	In 2003–04, we provided £30,000 to the men's health forum to help fund their publication "the Men and Cancer Manual";
	We have provided £135,000 to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase available information about prostate cancer;
	We are providing £105,000 to the Prostate Cancer Charity to improve awareness of the risks and symptoms of prostate cancer in African and Afro-Caribbean men in Britain;
	We have worked with the prostate cancer charter for action to develop UK Prostate Link, a unique information source for men with prostate cancer, their families and health professionals. UK Prostate Link was launched on 3 November 2005, and is available at: http://prostate-link.org.uk/. £100,000 is being provided by the Government, with the remaining £50,000 being provided by signatories to the prostate cancer charter for action.
	The number of PSA tests carried out each year is not collected centrally. However, research funded by the Department and carried out by the cancer screening evaluation unit, Institute of Cancer Research, has shown that the overall rate of PSA testing increased significantly from 1999 to 2002. The number of PSA requests submitted by participating laboratories rose by 42 per cent.

Scans (Poole)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the waiting time is for (a) an urgent scan and (b) a non-urgent scan at Poole NHS Trust;
	(2)  what the average waiting time is for (a) an urgent scan and (b) a non-urgent scan in each NHS hospital in England.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Waiting time data for diagnostic scans is not currently collected centrally. A new diagnostic data collection will be rolled out nationally from January 2006 to support delivery of the 2008 18-week target. This will not, however, enable a distinction between waiting times for urgent and non-urgent scans to be made.

School Nurses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to recruit school nurses.

Liam Byrne: The Department is committed to providing new funding so that by 2010, every primary care trust, working with children's trusts and local authorities, will be resourced to have at least one full-time, year-round, qualified school nurse working with each cluster or group of primary schools and the related secondary school.
	The Department understands that school nurses have an important and central role to play in tackling health issues among children and younger people, such as obesity, exercise, smoking prevention and cessation and sexual and emotional health.
	The Chief Nursing Officer is leading the development and promotion of a new modern role for school nurses, and many school nurses are already modernising their roles and playing a key role in initiatives such as healthy schools, and preventing teenage pregnancy. The NHS Improvement Plan and the nursing strategy "Making a Difference' also point towards an expanded role for school nurses, and a three-year school nurse development programme is currently being updated to ensure school nurses remain a dynamic workforce who are able to contribute to good outcomes for children and young people.

Your Health, Your Care, Your Say

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of the public from the Hemel Hempstead area have been selected to take part in the "Your Health, Your Care, Your Say" consultation exercise.

Rosie Winterton: Regional events were held in Gateshead, Leicester, London and Plymouth and a citizen's summit was held in Birmingham. None of the participants selected were from Hemel Hempstead.
	On 4 November, 147 feedback forms had been received from local consultation events. In addition, over 18,000 on-line questionnaires had been completed and approximately 15,500 hard copies of the questionnaires had been returned. It is possible that participants from Hemel Hempstead may have taken part in these local events or completed the on-line or hard copy form of the questionnaire.

BBC Licence Fee

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints have been received regarding the BBC's latest proposals to increase the licence fee; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: My Department regularly receives correspondence relating to the television licence fee. Since the BBC's announcement on 11 October 2005 we have received approximately 60 items of correspondence regarding the BBC's own assessment of its future funding needs. The Government are currently conducting a review of BBC funding to determine the future level of the licence fee and will make an announcement in due course.

BBC Licence Fee

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many television licences have been issued in each constituency in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

James Purnell: TV Licensing, who administer the television licensing system as agents for the BBC, do not record the number of licences issued by constituency. Data by nation and region is estimated from United Kingdom figures and is available only for the last four years. The estimated number of licences issued in Northern Ireland in each of the last four years are as follows:
	
		
			 Year ending 31 March Number of licences issued 
		
		
			 2005 585,137 
			 2004 566,739 
			 2003 546,429 
			 2002 525,812

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the budget of the Nations and Regions Group for the London 2012 Olympics is; and how (a) Essex and (b) Kent will be dealt with by the Group.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The Nations and Regions Group met on 4 November to discuss how best to co-ordinate UK wide interests in staging the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and will meet again early next year to confirm its remit and membership. Any budgetary requirements would need to be considered as part of those discussions.
	Each English region has, or is putting place, a regional group responsible for taking work forward and reporting to the Regions and Nations Group. They will include representatives from Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), Regional Sports Boards and other relevant stakeholders. Under this arrangement, Kent would be dealt with through the South East Group, and Essex through the East of England Group.
	The RDAs will of course play a vital role in this work, and we will write to them shortly to ask them to develop plans to maximise business and development opportunities offered by the 2012 Olympics in their region.
	Among other areas of potential benefit they will wish to consider is the opportunity to host preparation and holding camps for overseas teams. The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and the British Olympic Association (BOA), will develop a Pre-Training Guide by 2008, which will include details of facilities appropriate for use as preparation or training camps. They will work closely with regional representatives to maximise opportunities across the UK.

Olympic Games

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to (a) meet officials in charge of delivering previous Olympic games and (b) visit (i) Beijing, (ii) Athens, (iii) Atlanta, (iv) Barcelona, (v) Seoul, (vi) Los Angeles, (vii) Moscow and (viii) Montreal.

Tessa Jowell: During the bid phase, the Minister for Sport and Tourism (Mr. Caborn) and I visited previous host cities—specifically Athens, Sydney, Barcelona and Beijing.
	We drew heavily on the experience of the Sydney games in developing the bid and will continue to draw on the experience of previous host cities as we move forward to hosting the games.

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken (a) to encourage tourism and (b) to improve tourist facilities in (i) Havering and (ii) Essex.

James Purnell: My Department allocates £50 million grant in aid to VisitBritain each year to market Britain overseas and England domestically. This activity benefits all parts of the country including Havering and Essex.
	The Department allocates grant in aid of £1.9 million to the Greater London authority to support the Mayor in his lead responsibility for tourism in London. One of the Mayor's priorities in this area is the dispersal of visitors throughout all parts of the capital. Havering will benefit from the new East London tourism development strategy, key strands of which include the development of markets, products, sector skills and the encouragement of greater entrepreneurship.
	This work has been given new impetus and the profile of East London raised by winning the competition to stage the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. A new pan London Tourism vision and action plan are currently in development to ensure that benefits derived from tourism are maximised.
	My Department also allocates grant-in-aid of £3.6 million to the regional development agencies for tourism support, including the East of England Development Agency. This contributes to the work of organisations such as the Essex Development and Regeneration Agency, which promotes Essex as a tourism destination.

Beef

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects beef exports to (a) France and (b) Germany to begin, following the end of the Over Thirty Months Scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: The timing of lifting the export ban remains uncertain but is unlikely to happen before February 2006 at the earliest. The Government are continuing to work in Brussels to ensure that the export ban is lifted as soon as possible.
	We would expect Germany and France to comply with EU law when the ban is lifted.

Criminal Offences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by her Department since May 1997, broken down by Act.

Jim Knight: holding answer 9 November 2005
	DEFRA came into being on 8 June 2001 and so it is appropriate to answer the question from that date.
	The following Acts created criminal offences in the 2002–03 session of Parliament.
	The Animal Health Act 2002 (c.42)
	created several criminal offences including the offence of deliberately infecting an animal with any one of 15 diseases specified in the Act, including foot-and-mouth disease. The Schedule created an offence of failing to comply with a restriction notice preventing the use for breeding of sheep that are of a genotype that is susceptible to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and also offences of obstructing an inspector carrying out duties under the Act.
	The Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 (c.33)
	provided powers to make offences by regulation for failures to comply with the scheme to be created.
	The Water Act 2003 (c.37)
	made it an offence under Part one to fail to comply with a notice served by the Environment Agency requiring work to be carried out on facilities for impounding water or a licence application to be made for unlicensed impounding works.
	Where abstraction or impounding takes place without a licence or does not comply with the terms of a licence, the Act made it an offence to fail to comply with an enforcement notice issued by the Environment Agency.
	Part two created the offence of introducing water to or supplying water from a water undertaker's supply system without being a water undertaker or a licensed supply person. Under Part three it is an offence for an owner of manager of a large raised reservoir to fail to prepare a flood plan when required to do so. Part three also extended the offence of supplying water unfit for human consumption to apply to persons including employees of the water undertaker and self-employed people involved with the supply of water.
	During the 2003–04 session the following Acts created criminal offences:
	The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (c. 11)
	makes it an offence for any person to act as an unlicensed gangmaster and for any other person to enter into arrangements with an unlicensed gangmaster.
	The Act also created other offences in relation to forgery of documents.
	The Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004 (c.29)
	extended the offence of obstructing a highway under the Highways Act
	1980 so that the directors, managers and other company officers of a guilty
	company may also be found guilty of the obstruction if it was committed
	with their consent, connivance or attributable to their neglect.
	The Hunting Act 2004 (c.37)
	made it an offence under Part one to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, except in some circumstances such as where the dog is being used for stalking and flushing-out only, or to participate in, attend or knowingly facilitate a hare-coursing event.
	Part one also makes it an offence for the owner of a dog to permit it to be used for hunting or hare-coursing or for the owner of land to allow the land to be entered or used for hunting or hare-coursing.
	During the 2004–2005 session the following Act created criminal offences:
	The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (c.16)
	Created offences in relation to "nuisance parking" which is the selling or repairing of vehicles on a road by persons in business. Part six of the Act created offences in relation to breach of "Dog Control Orders", which in relation to specified land may exclude dogs from the land, or prohibit the fouling of the land, or require dogs to be kept on leads when on the land or may limit the number of dogs a person may take onto the specified land. In relation to certain premises in an "Alarm Notification Area" Part seven of the Act created offences of failing to nominate a key-holder where an audible intruder alarm is present.
	The Act also made many existing offences punishable by a fixed penalty notice.

Dairy Farming

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many persons are employed in dairy farming in England; and how many were so employed on the same date in 1997.

Jim Knight: holding answer 15 November 2005
	The following figures show the number of workers and total labour force on holdings in England where dairy is the predominant activity. The employee figures include salaried managers, casual and family workers. Total labour force includes farmers, partners, directors and their spouses (if working on the holding) in addition to the number employed.
	
		
			  Number employed Total labour force 
		
		
			 1997 23,394 58,498 
			 2004 13,592 41,665 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures prior to 2000 show main holdings only. From 2000 onwards minor holdings are included.
	2. Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001 labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Survey

Flower Imports

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what was the total (a) volume and (b) value of flowers imported into the UK from Kenya for each year since 2001; what discussions her Department has had relating to the involvement of UK companies in the import or production of flowers produced overseas using chemicals banned in the EU; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The total volume and value of imports of fresh cut flowers into the UK from Kenya since 2001 is set out in the given table.
	The Department has had no discussions on the use of chemicals in the production of flowers overseas. However, my noble Friend, the Lord Bach, met with a major importer of cut flowers from Kenya on 13 July this year to discuss the impact of changes to plant health import regulations, the resulting increase in inspections of cut flowers to check for the presence of quarantine plant pests, and the charges which have been introduced to cover the cost of those inspections.
	
		0511k009: UK imports of cut flowers from Kenya 2001 to August 2005
		
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 January-August 2005 
			 Description Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 
		
		
			 Fresh cut flowers: other 2,300 6,946 3,934 12,012 5,549 15,705 10,304 28,416 6,356 17,794 
			 Fresh cut flowers: roses 4,273 14,388 4,746 16,054 5,068 16,264 4,855 14,077 4,333 11,535 
			 Fresh cut flowers: carnations 2,470 6,673 1,831 4,873 961 2,271 1,581 2,810 1,751 4,911 
			 Cut flowers: prepared 1,095 3,786 572 1,998 45 171 8 31 8 37 
			 Fresh cut flowers: gladioli 7 12 120 156 143 485 220 646 22 61 
			 Fresh cut flowers: chrysanthemums 3 18 10 66 25 166 21 133 3 18 
			 Fresh cut flowers: orchids 37 35 8 10 0 17 — — — — 
			 Grand total 10,183 31,859 11,221 35,171 11,792 35,078 16,989 46,112 12,473 34,357 
		
	
	Source:
	HM Revenue and Customs
	Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, Defra
	2005 data is subject to amendments.

Freedom of Information

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to her Department which have been passed to the FOI clearing house for evaluation, broken down by (a) subject and (b) date of request.

Jim Knight: Information about the handling of Freedom of Information requests is published in "Freedom of Information Statistics on Implementation in Central Government". The most recently published report was 30 September 2005 and copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Additional information about the role of the Clearing House can be found on the DCA website at http://www.foi.gov.uk/guidance/index.htmt2. Departments do not release information about the internal handling of requests, such as details of which requests were referred to the Clearing House for guidance.

Milk Price

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what encouragement she is giving to ensure that a competitive market exists for the price of milk paid to farmers.

Jim Knight: Competition issues are a matter for the Office of Fair Trading. The Government believe that as long as competition rules are respected, it should not seek to intervene in matters of pricing.
	My noble Friend, Lord Bach and I will nevertheless be discussing a range of competition issues with colleagues in the Department of Trade and Industry next month. And, through the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, which my noble Friend chairs, we are working with the industry to help it secure a competitive and sustainable future.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air.

Jim Knight: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The list indicates when non-scheduled flights were used. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the financial year.

Biofuels (Carbon Emissions)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the (a) practicality of converting aircraft to run on bio-ethanol and (b) carbon emission implications of such a switch.

Karen Buck: holding answer 21 November 2005
	The UK project "The Potential for Renewable Energy Sources in Aviation" produced by Imperial College Centre for Energy, Policy and Technology in 2003 for DTI, studied the options for potential renewable fuels for civil aviation. The study examined a whole range of alternative fuels and energy sources including bio-ethanol. Bio-ethanol was found to be inherently unsuitable as it does not contain sufficient energy for a jet fuel, in either mass or volume terms. The practical implications of these two factors are that aircraft range would be reduced compared to conventional fuels, and even if air-frames were redesigned with significantly larger fuel capacity, their take-off weight would be too high.

Road Accidents

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated total cost of road accidents in England was in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: While the Department for Transport does not hold information on actual costs incurred as the result of road accidents, it does estimate the value of prevention of road accidents in its annually published "Highways Economics Note No.1". Estimates for the total value of prevention of all road accidents 1994 to 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  Estimated total cost (£ million) 
		
		
			 2004 18,004 
			 2003 18,094 
			 2002 17,760 
			 2001 17,420 
			 2000 16,959 
			 1999 16,280 
			 1998 15,960 
			 1997 14,814 
			 1996 13,920 
			 1995 13,280 
			 1994 13,030

Road Accidents

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the average cost to public funds of (a) a non-fatal and (b) a fatal road traffic accident.

Stephen Ladyman: The values used to estimate the benefits of the prevention of road accidents are set out in the "Highways Economic Note No. 1: 2002 Valuation of the Benefits of Prevention of Road Accidents and Casualties" which can be found on the DfT website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/divisionhomepage/030763.hcsp
	The average values, based on 2002 casualty data, were (a) serious injury £168,260 and slight injury £16,750 and (b) fatal £1,447,490. These amounts are the values to be used in the appraisal of road traffic schemes. They take account of lost output (which includes any non-wage payments paid by the employer), medical and ambulance costs, human costs based on willingness to pay values representing pain, grief and suffering, the costs of policing, insurance and administrative costs and damage to property.
	Included within these vales are the costs to public funds for medical, ambulance and police costs. In 2002 prices the average cost was for fatal £6,860, serious £11,900 and slight £1,020. Some element of the lost output cost would also be considered as a cost to public funds. In 2002 prices the average costs were £479,750, £19,520 and £2,320 for fatal, serious and slight accidents respectively.
	Up-rating these figures using 2004 casualty data to 2004 prices gives average values for the prevention of accidents as (a) serious injury £184,269 and slight injury £18,496 and (b) fatal £1,573,217. The average cost in 2004 prices of the lost output element of accident prevention costs were for fatal £522,639, serious £21,379 and slight £2,550. The average medical, ambulance and police costs in 2004 prices were for fatal £7,076, serious £13,025 and slight £1,131.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average fatality rate was of pedestrians involved in a motor vehicle accident where the vehicle was moving at (a) 30 mph and (b) 40 mph for each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: In 1979 Aston and Mackay calculated that, as a general rule an adult pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 mph has a 1 in 5 (20 per cent.) chance of being killed, and that a pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 40 mph has a 9 in 10 (90 per cent.) chance of being killed. A child pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 40 mph has a 4 in 5 (80 per cent.) chance of being killed.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what percentage of persistently high risk roads, as defined by the European Road Assessment Programme, speed cameras were installed in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The results of the European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP) 2004 report on British roads identified 11 stretches of road as being "persistently high risk" based upon casualty data for 1997–99 and 2000–02. The length of these stretches varies between 13 kmh and 56 kmh.
	Our records show that cameras operating within the National Safety Camera Programme have been deployed at individual locations on 10 out of 11 of the persistently high risk roads identified.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Safety Camera Partnerships there were in England in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The first Safety Camera Partnerships were formed in 2000. Their numbers for England for each year are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 April 2000 6 
			 October 2001 12 
			 April 2002 20 
			 October 2002 26 
			 April 2003 33 
			 April 2005 36 
		
	
	Note:
	In 2005, Avon Somerset and Gloucestershire which joined in 2002 split into Avon and Somerset, and Gloucestershire.

Council Tax

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of council tax increases on pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Government recognise the concerns of many pensioners, particularly those on low or fixed incomes, about council tax. This Government have already taken action to improve pensioner incomes, spending nearly £11 billion extra on pensioners in 2005–06 compared to 1997 as a result of measures we have introduced since then. On average, after allowing for inflation, pensioner households are about £1,500 better off this year than they would have been under the system which operated in 1997. The least well-off third of pensioner households are, on average, £2,000 better off.
	Help with council tax bills is available for those who are least well off through council tax benefit (CTB). Nearly two and a half million people aged 60 or over now benefit, though the Government are concerned that many pensioners do not claim their entitlement. The Department for Work and Pensions is taking active measures to ensure that people are made aware of CTB and are encouraged to take up their entitlement.
	The Government are providing additional money to pensioners specifically to help them pay their council tax bills. We gave £100 to households with someone 70 or over in 2004–05. In 2005–06 households with someone aged 65 or over are receiving £200, usually with their with winter fuel payment, unless they are receiving; the guarantee credit element of pension credit (people getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit are already entitled to up to a 100 per cent. rebate on their council tax bills). Households with someone aged 70 or over getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit are receiving £50 to help with living costs.
	While no decisions have been taken on capping in 2006–07 and beyond, we will not hesitate to use our capping powers to protect council taxpayers from excessive council tax rises in the future. In 2003–04, the last year in which capping was not undertaken, the average council tax increase in England was 12.9 per cent. This fell to 5.9 per cent. in 2004–05 and again to 4.1 per cent. in 2005–06.
	Sir Michael Lyons is currently conducting an Inquiry into the financing of local government in the context of its wider functions and future role. He is aware of the widespread concerns about how the current council tax system affects pensioners and others on low and fixed incomes. Sir Michael is due to report before the end of 2006 and the Government will carefully consider his recommendations.

Housing

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many registered social landlord properties were sold on the open market other than to tenants in each of the last five years (a) in London and (b) in each English region.

Yvette Cooper: The following table gives the numbers of homes disposed of by Registered Social Landlords on the open market or at auction each year for the past five years. These data are not recorded on a regional basis and may include open market disposals to tenants. However all these sales were at market value, that is, they do not include any disposals made to tenants at any discount under schemes such as Right to Buy or Right to Acquire.
	
		
			 Financial year Number of homes 
		
		
			 2000–01 3,563 
			 2001–02 2,974 
			 2002–03 2,083 
			 2003–04 4,111 
			 2004–05 5,950 
			 Total 18,681 
		
	
	Source:
	Housing Corporation

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of Members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is under a statutory requirement in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's four advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) (a) hold public meetings or (b) conduct public consultation exercises.
	The Advisory Panel on the Beacon Scheme (c) conducts consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) does not publish a register of Members' interests and (e) and (f) does not publish either agendas for or minutes of meetings. It would consider what could be made available on request.
	The Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate (c) consults professional organisations on the Planning Inspectorate's performance, (d) does not publish a register of Members' interests and (e) and (f) does not publish either agendas for or minutes of meetings although both would be made available on request.
	The Building Regulations Advisory Committee (c) does not conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests. While it does not publish (d) a register of Members' interests and (e) and (f) agendas for and minutes of meetings, it makes all available on request.
	The National Community Forum (c) does not conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests and (d) publishes a register of Members' interests. It does not publish (e) and (f) either agendas for or minutes of meetings.
	None of the four bodies are under a statutory requirement to do any of the above.

Tree Maintenance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has given to local authorities on tree maintenance near highways.

Karen Buck: I have been asked to reply.
	Guidance on the inspection, condition and maintenance of trees on or near highways is given at sections 9 and 10 of "Well-maintained Highways: Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management" published by the UK Roads Liaison Group in July this year. The Department for Transport strongly recommends this code to local authorities.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air.

Bridget Prentice: A year-by-year and travel class breakdown cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. However, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office has asked Roy Burke, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.
	For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04, I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the Chief Executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library.
	In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published annually the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information for the financial years 1995–96 to 2004–05. Information for 2005–06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year. All Ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many cars in the fleet purchased each year since 1997 by the Government Car and Despatch Agency have been converted to alternative environmentally friendly fuels;
	(2)  what plans are in place to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Government Car and Despatch Agency;
	(3)  pursuant to page 24 of the Government Car and Despatch Agency Annual Report 2004–05, which Government departments which are now using the Green Car Service;
	(4)  if he will list all those other than Ministers who are entitled to a car and driver supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Jim Murphy: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its chief executive Mr. Roy Burke to write to the right hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Nuclear Inspectorate

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) complaints, (b) court actions and (c) fines there have been in each year since 1995 against the nuclear industry for problems related to (i) odours, (ii) water pollution, (iii) air pollution and (iv) human health impact, (A) in total, (B) in each region and (C) per site.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	It is not possible to provide a reply that fully answers the hon. Member's question without entailing disproportionate cost.
	However, details of cases and fines against the nuclear industry have recently been made available in the House of Commons Library following the hon. Member's recent question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
	As the Environment Agency's National Enforcement Database was commissioned in 1999, data is only available from that date. The Database identifies pollution cases by their effects on air, water and land and does not include "complaints".

Radioactive Material

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accidents there have been in each year since 1975 involving the transportation of radioactive material (a) by air, (b) by road, (c) by rail and (d) by ship.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	Details of all events involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK since 1989 have been published in a series of annual reports. The latest report in this series is "Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents Involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK—2004 Review (HPA-RPD-007)". This report is on the internet at the following address:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/2005/hpa_rod_007.htm
	Details of all the previous reports in the series are contained in the reference section of the latest report. A report detailing events occurring during 2005 will be published in late 2006.
	Two reports analysing trends in events have also been published, these are: "Review of the Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents Involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK from 1964 to 1988 (NRPB-M206)" and "Review of the Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents Involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK from 1958 to 1994 (NRPB-R282)".
	The reports contain information concerning all abnormal events involving the transport of radioactive material which have been reported to or have otherwise come to the attention of the Department for Transport. The total number of events for each year and mode of transport are:
	
		
			  Air Road Rail Ship Airport(12) 
		
		
			 1975 2 7 0 3 18 
			 1976 1 3 7 1 23 
			 1977 1 5 7 1 20 
			 1978 1 4 6 1 16 
			 1979 1 4 3 1 10 
			 1980 0 3 7 1 11 
			 1981 2 5 6 0 7 
			 1982 1 2 3 0 9 
			 1983 1 5 0 0 2 
			 1984 0 3 4 3 1 
			 1985 1 7 4 0 0 
			 1986 2 2 2 2 0 
			 1987 3 5 5 1 0 
			 1988 1 9 4 3 2 
			 1989 2 6 4 2 0 
			 1990 2 6 7 3 1 
			 1991 4 5 9 3 3 
			 1992 4 8 3 1 0 
			 1993 2 8 6 0 3 
			 1994 5 3 11 0 1 
			 1995 6 16 5 1 1 
			 1996 4 9 4 2 9 
			 1997 7 13 3 1 2 
			 1998 11 13 11 0 9 
			 1999 12 13 6 2 5 
			 2000 7 20 15 1 2 
			 2001 3 12 20 1 0 
			 2002 6 10 0 3 1 
			 2003 4 4 3 0 0 
			 2004 3 14 3 0 0 
		
	
	(12) These are events that occurred in airport warehouses and usually involved packages falling from fork-lift trucks. These have been included separately because to classify them as either air or road events would be misleading.
	The events in this table include all abnormal events, howsoever minor, and covers all movements of radioactive material, however small and for whatever reason, usually in connection with medical diagnosis/treatment, research or industrial radiography. The list includes events clearly identifiable as accidents (e.g. dropped packages or road traffic accidents), however, the majority are events such as stolen packages, incorrectly prepared packages or packages transported without the correct labelling/paperwork. Most of these events were minor with no radiological consequences and in some cases were false alarms. Very rarely was radioactive material released to the environment or did people receive significant radiation doses.
	Examination of the reports referred to earlier in this answer will give a fuller understanding of the frequency, severity and consequences of accidents involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK. Copies of all these reports are available in the House of Commons Library.

Business Rates

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was raised in business rates from (a) Wales and (b) Pembrokeshire in each year since 1990.

Nick Ainger: The information is in the following table. Details of contributions to the pool between 1990–91 and 1995–96 are taken from the publication "Welsh Local Government Financial Statistics". Details from 1996–97 are taken from the StatsWales website table 00466.
	Pembrokeshire county council became a billing authority in 1996.
	
		
			   £000(13) 
			  Wales Pembrokeshire 
		
		
			 1990–91 345,309 n/a 
			 1991–92 401,100 n/a 
			 1992–93 378,745 n/a 
			 1993–94 367,147 n/a 
			 1994–95 354,244 n/a 
			 1995–96 399,535 n/a 
			 1996–97 427,156 16,615 
			 1997–98 460,306 17,608 
			 1998–99 464,848 17,124 
			 1999–2000 489,705 7,082 
			 2000–01 566,400 21,771 
			 2001–02 588,531 21,794 
			 2002–03 562,831 22,099 
			 2003–04(14) 567,085 17,036 
			 2004–05(15) 633,511 21,930 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	1 Contribution to non-domestic rating pool.
	(13) Unaudited.
	(14) Provisional.

Hospital Provision

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Minister for Health to discuss funding for the provision of new hospitals serving patients in Wales.

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Minister for Health on funding for the provision of new hospitals serving patients in Wales.

Nick Ainger: I regularly meet with the Assembly Minister for Health and Social Services to discuss a range of issues, including funding for the provision of new hospitals in Wales.
	Capital expenditure for building hospitals is detailed within the Welsh Assembly's Capital Investment Plan. This includes a major rebuilding scheme aimed at modernising health and social care and increasing capacity. It will be delivered by investment in the NHS infrastructure in Wales increasing from £120 million in the current financial year to £309 million in 2007–08.
	There are currently 55 schemes of which 30, have either on-site development or fully approved business cases 25 which are actively progressing through the business case process, in addition there are 47 schemes in the planning stage.
	Of the current schemes, the funding already approved for the first three years of the Capital Investment Plan includes the following projects where work is already ongoing:
	2nd Rhondda Community Hospital (Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda)
	Porthmadoc Community Hospital
	Orthopaedic Surgery facilities in Newport and Llandough
	Tenby Community Hospital
	Carmarthen Accident and Emergency
	South Pembrokeshire Hospital
	And the following schemes, where it is anticipated that work will start within the next two years:
	Caerphilly Local General Hospital
	Ebbw Vale Hospital for Blaenau Gwent
	Holywell Community Hospital
	Cynon Valley Neighbourhood Hospital
	Bro Morgannwg—Modernisation of Mental Health
	Gwent Main Delivery Unit
	Gwent Clinical School (Health Science Institute)
	In addition, work is currently taking place with the NHS to develop a 10-year capital investment plan to 2014–15.

Ministerial Travel

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many journeys he has made between London and Cardiff on official business since 2002 by (a) car, (b) train, (c) bus, (d) coach, (e) helicopter and (f) aeroplane; and what the costs of travel were in each year.

Peter Hain: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	Details on the number of journeys made by car could be provided only at disproportionate cost. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy) has asked Roy Burke, chief executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.
	For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the chief executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library.
	I have made 428 journeys by train.
	The total cost of train journeys per calendar year were:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002 11,593 
			 2003 9,568 
			 2004 8,400 
		
	
	I have not used any other method of transport between London and Cardiff.

Brazil

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the trial and conviction in Brazil of Craig Alden; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 21 November 2005
	In the light of concerns about the fairness of the trial proceedings that led to Craig Alden's conviction in 2002, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offered Mr. Alden the services of a member of the FCO pro bono lawyers panel, Jeremy Richardson QC, to review the conduct of his case. The decision to offer Mr. Alden this assistance was made without prejudice to the fact that the Government, as in all cases of British Nationals subject to trial proceedings overseas, takes no position as to the guilt or innocence of the accused.
	Jeremy Richardson produced two reports on Mr. Alden's case. Mr. Richardson concluded that the trial proceedings in the case were flawed, and that this raised doubts about the fairness of Mr. Alden's conviction. The Government supported Mr. Alden's application to the Brazilian Government for Presidential Expulsion. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary wrote to the Brazilian Foreign Minister in March 2005, highlighting the concerns about the trial process raised in Mr. Richardson's reports. In August 2005, the Brazilian authorities informed British Embassy officials of their intention to reject Mr. Alden's request for Presidential Expulsion. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has recently received a formal written response from the Brazilian Foreign Minister confirming the rejection. My noble Friend the Permanent Under Secretary of State at the FCO (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) raised that matter with the Brazillian ambassador on 16 November. Mr. Alden has been on hunger strike since 1 November.
	We have strongly urged Mr. Alden to reconsider this course of action. Consular officials are in regular contact. The British Embassy nurse visited him on 11 November to assess his condition. We continue to make daily checks on Mr. Alden's health.
	Consular officials in London have regular contact with Mr. Alden's family and supporters, and met them most recently on 14 November.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list departmental projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000; what the cost was in each case; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in each year.

Jack Straw: Expenditure on external consultants in general is reported annually in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Departmental Report, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and on the FCO's website at www.fco.gov.uk.
	Information on expenditure on individual projects is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The vast majority of the work undertaken for the FCO by consultants in each year since 2000 was associated with our major Information Communication Technology and estate construction programmes.
	Overall expenditure on external consultants since 2000 is:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2000–01 17.9 
			 2001–02 20.1 
			 2002–03 23.7 
			 2003–04 23.2 
		
	
	Expenditure for 2004–05 is in the process of being collated and will be published in the FCO's Departmental Report in April 2006.

Staff Discipline

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees have been dismissed by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: Figures are not kept for staff who have been dismissed for reasons other than misconduct.
	The numbers of staff who were dismissed for reasons of misconduct are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 1 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 5 
			 2004 2 
			 2005(16) 2 
		
	
	(16) To date.
	In answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) on 20 December 2004, Official Report, column 1399W, my right hon. Friend the Minister for State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Douglas Alexander) stated that three members of staff had been dismissed as a consequence of misconduct in 2004. This figure included one member of staff who was dismissed for reasons of inefficiency and should not have been included in the 2004 total.

Uganda

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrest of opposition leaders in Uganda.

Ian Pearson: Following the arrest of Dr. Kiiza Besigye on 14 November, our high commissioner in Kampala, representing the EU presidency, called on President Museveni to express our concern and to press for an early and transparent trial. On 16 November, Dr. Besigye and 23 other opposition activists were charged with treason and additionally, in the case of Dr. Besigye, rape. My noble Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) also spoke with the Ugandan Foreign Minister Kutesa on 17 November to express deep concern at these developments. We continue to urge the Ugandan authorities to ensure that due legal process and protection under the constitution are afforded to all those who have been indicted and that a fair and transparent trial is held as soon as possible.

EU's Financial Services Action Plan

Michael Gove: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the measures outlined in the EU's Financial Services Action Plan have been implemented in the UK; whether an impact assessment has been made of each measure; and what estimate he has made of (a) the financial costs and (b) the benefits of each measure.

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what cost impact assessment has been undertaken of the (a) EU Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, (b) EU legislation agreed under the Financial Services Action Plan and (c) EU Capital Adequacy Directive implementing the Basel 2 Accord; and if he will place copies of such assessments in the Library;
	(2)  whether the Department has conducted cost impact assessments in relation to the Prospectus Directive;
	(3)  whether his Department has conducted cost impact assessments in relation to the EU Market Abuse Directive.

John Healey: Of the 42 measures in the Financial Services Action Plan, 16 are Commission communications or recommendations which do not require transposition into member states' national law and regulations. For a further seven measures the deadline for transposition has not yet been reached. The UK has transposed the remaining 19 measures, although only partially in the case of the Directive on Occupational Retirement Provision. The Government expect the legislation required to complete its transposition to be in place before the end of 2005.
	The impact, financial costs and benefits of FSAP measures, including the Market in Financial Instruments Directive, the Capital Requirements Directive, Prospectus Directive and Market Abuse Directive, which require transposition and have a regulatory impact have been assessed in the documents listed as follows.
	
		
			 FSAP measure HMT regulatory impact assessments FSA cost-benefit analysis 
		
		
			 Prospectus Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/1EA/06/20050519_Final_RIA.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp04_16.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp05_07.pdf 
			
			 Market Abuse Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/4A1/1D/MAD_RIA240205.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/other/eu_mad.pdf 
			
			 Transparency Directive (partial RIA) http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/B66/3B/transparency_dir_180305.pdf — 
			
			 Financial Collateral Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/49B/A0/idfca_ria_0104.pdf — 
			
			 Insurance Mediation Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/B85/A6/RIA03_insurance_51.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/Library/Policy/CP/2002/160.shtml 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp174.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa/gov.uk.pubs/cp/cp187.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/CP201.pdf 
			
			 2nd Money Laundering Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/4B7/B5/fullriamlr03_80.pdf http://www.fsa/gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp199.pdf 
			
			 3rd Money Laundering Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/5E8/8F/200509RIA1.pdf — 
			
			 Electronic Money Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consultations_and_legislation/ria/consult_ria_electronic.cfm http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp117.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp172.pdf 
			
			 Directive on Winding Up of Insurance undertakings http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/39E/90/lloyds_ria210705.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp177.pdf 
			
			 Distance Marketing Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/BF2/C9/ACF13FE.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp196.pdf 
			
			 Fair Value Accounting Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/D72/B6/Fair_Value_RIA.pdf — 
			
			 Capital Requirements Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/F10/BF/CRD_RIA.pdf http://www.fsa/gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp189.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp05_03.pdf 
			
			 International Accounting Standards (IAS) Regulation http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/D72/39/IAS_Regulation_RIA.pdf — 
			
			 Accounts Modernisation Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/D72/88/Modernisation_Directive_RIA.pdf — 
			
			 Credit Institutions Winding Up Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/26D/6B/cir_ria_16.pdf — 
			
			 UCITS Amending Directive — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp135.pdf 
			
			 UCITS Management Directive — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp163.pdf 
			
			 Settlement Finality Directive — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/policy/P27.pdf 
			
			 Solvency 1 Directives — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp181.pdf 
			
			 Financial Groups Directive — http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./consultations_and_legislation/financial_groups/consult_financialgroups_index.cfm 
			
			 Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (partial RIA) Explanatory Memorandum 14679/02 (a copy is in the Library of the House) — 
			
			 Other Government Departments   
			 Occupational Retirement Provision Directive www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2004/orp/final_ria.pdf 
			
			 European Company Statute Regulation http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/em2004/uksiem_20042326_en.pdf

Ministerial Decisions (Dissent)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the instances since 1990 when an accounting officer has passed a Note of Dissent to the Comptroller and Auditor General in respect of a ministerial decision.

John Healey: The following table lists the ministerial directions that the Treasury has been informed of since 1990.
	
		
			  Department Subject of direction Category of direction 
		
		
			 1990 Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) Sale of British Aerospace (now BAe Systems) Hawk jets to Kenya Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1991 Ministry of Defence (MOD) Chieftain Tank replacement Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1991 The former Overseas Development Agency (ODA) Pergau Dam project Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 MOD HMS Endurance replacement Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 MOD Closure of depot at Royal Navy Stores Depot (RNSD) Copenacre Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 The former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) Location of Divisional Offices Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 MOD Image Intensifiers Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1993 ECGD Guarantees for Export and Investments in Russia Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 MOD Medium Support Helicopters Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 ECGD ECGD support to Jordan Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 The former Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) Re-examination of the wreck of the MV Derbyshire Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 DETR—the former Office of Passenger Rail Franchising (OPRAF) Decision on Profit Participation in the passenger rail franchising programme Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 DETR-OPRAF Decision on Revenue Risk sharing in the passenger rail franchising programme Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1997 DETR Millennium Exhibition: Expenditure to regenerate the Greenwich Peninsula and to provide a site for the Millennium Exhibition Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1997 DETR Channel Tunnel Rail Link and exceptional hardship Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1998 The former Department of Social Security (DSS) Benefits Agency/Post Office Counters Ltd (BA/POCL) automation project Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1998 DSS Benefits Agency/Post Office Counters Ltd IBA/POCL) automation project Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1998 Northern Ireland Court Service Concerns an individual's personnel records Propriety/regularity 
			 1998 MOD Sale of Cadet Property in Moffat Propriety/regularity 
			 1998 DSS Benefits Integrity Project Propriety/regularity 
			 1999 DSS Benefits Integrity Project Propriety/regularity 
			 1999 DSS Benefits Integrity Project Propriety/regularity 
			 1999 ECGD Cashmere Exporters Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1999 ECGD ECGD Cover—Indonesia Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2000 ECGD ECGD Cover—Romania Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2000 MOD Use of public funds to provide financial assistance to meet cost of air flight to Croatia for member of public to attend trial of those accused of murder of his son, a British Serviceman Propriety/regularity 
			 2001 MOD Roll-on, Roll-off (RoRo) ferries Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2001 Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) Regularity/propriety 
			 2002 DETR A43 Silverstone bypass Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2003 DTI Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2003 MOD Acquisition of BAe Hawk trainer aircraft Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2005 DTI Bombardier C-series launch investment Value for Money 
		
	
	Note:
	This table consolidates all of the information given by Treasury Ministers in written answers on the subject of ministerial directions since the answer given by former Chief Secretary (Andrew Smith) on 23 October 2000, Official Report, column 74W.

Public Service Agreements

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what baseline shares he will use to measure a reduction in the illicit market share for spirits for the purposes of measuring performance against 2004 Public Service Agreement target number 2.

Des Browne: The PSA target 1.2 states that by 2007–08 the market share for illicit spirits will be reduced by half. The methodology used to measure performance is set out in "HM Customs: Public Service Agreement 2005–06 to 2007–08 technical note".

Tax Credits

Ann Widdecombe: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid to claimants as a result of errors in the tax credit system; how much has been paid in compensation for distress caused by the errors; and how many claimants have been subject to tax credit errors.

Dawn Primarolo: For information on the amount paid as a result of errors, and the number of people affected by errors, I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1056W.
	The circumstances in which HM Revenue and Customs will make compensation payments to its customers are explained in the Department's Code of Practice 1 "Putting things right" which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk. The Department will pay compensation for reasonable costs incurred as a direct result of its mistakes or delays and to recognise worry and distress caused by those mistakes and delays. It does not keep separate details of compensation payments made specifically due to errors or delays. For the value of compensation payments up to 31 May 2005, I refer to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) 8on 4 July 2005, Official Report, columns 95–96W. The value of compensation payments made between 1 June 2005 and 30 September 2005 was around £410,000.

Alcohol and Drug Misuse

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of (a) drunkenness, (b) driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs and (c) causing death by dangerous driving when under the influence of drink or drugs in West Lancashire in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: Data from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of persons convicted for drunkenness, driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs and causing death by dangerous driving when under the influence of drink or drugs in Lancashire police force area, 1997 to 2003 is given in the following table. It is not possible to identify those convicted in the West Lancashire area, as the data is not collected at this level of detail.
	Court statistics for 2004 will be available late November.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty at all courts for various offences in Lancashire police force area, 1997 to 2003(22)
		
			  Drunkenness (simple)(23) Drunkenness (with aggravation)(24) Driving after consuming alcohol or drugs(25) Causing death by dangerous driving or careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs(26) 
		
		
			 1997 224 1,237 3,003 11 
			 1998 216 1,319 2,591 7 
			 1999 182 1,444 2,349 3 
			 2000 247 1,682 2,312 4 
			 2001 181 1,815 2,059 7 
			 2002 177 1,643 2,316 7 
			 2003 74 1,574 2,393 6 
		
	
	(22) These data are provided on the principal offence basis.
	(23) Includes offences under S.12 Licensing Act 1872, Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 SS.1(4), 1A(4), 2.(2) and S.12 Criminal Justice & Police Act 2001.
	(24) Includes offences under S.91 Criminal Justice Act 1967. S.12 Licensing Act 1872, S.174 Licensing Act 1964, S.9(4) Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969, S.28 London Hackney Carriage Act 1843, SS.101(1)(a)(b), (4) & (5) Merchant Shipping Act 1995, S.2 Licensing Act 1902 and S.61 Town Police Clauses Act 1847.
	(25) Includes offences under sections 4(1),4(2), 5(1 )(a), 5(1 )(b), 6(4) and 7(6) Road traffic Act 1988.
	(26) Includes offences under Road Traffic Act 1988 S.1 as added by Road Traffic Act 1991 S.1 and Road Traffic Act 1988 S.3A as added by Road Traffic Act 1991 S.3 and amended by Criminal Justice Act 1993 S.6

Arson

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to reduce arson; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Government are fully committed to tackling arson through the achievement of our public service agreement targets to reduce deliberate fires, crime and the fear of crime and through our continued engagement in the work of the Arson Control Forum (ACF), which is led by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The ACF (established in April 2001) provides the strategic direction for the national fight against arson. The Forum has invested a total of £11.3 million in local arson prevention initiatives since its creation.
	We have also recognised the important contribution of the fire and rescue service to multi-agency working. Since 1 April 2003, all fire and rescue service authorities have been statutory partners in local crime and disorder reduction partnerships (CDRPs). This is helping to ensure that the fire and rescue services play a full role in community safety and help local communities to tackle arson and the associated areas of crime.

Asylum and Immigration

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department (a) monitors, (b) records and (c) budgets for spending on transferring failed asylum seekers between detention centres in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The in country escorting contract for immigration detainees is monitored by an escorting monitor who reviews performance by means which include regular meetings with the contractor, review of movement and other data and feedback from stakeholders.
	A record is maintained of the number of inter detention estate transfers of all immigration detainees.
	There is no budget allocation specifically for the transfer of failed asylum seekers between detention centres. The escorting contract price is inclusive of all moves.

Asylum and Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to reduce the number of asylum applications to the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: We have already made real progress in reducing the number of unfounded asylum applications. The monthly number of asylum applications have fallen by 75 per cent. between October 2002 and September 2005. This reduction follows the implementation of a range of legislative and operational measures designed to reduce the number of unfounded asylum applications.
	We have also dramatically reduced processing times. Around 80 per cent. of asylum claims now receive an initial decision within two months. At the same time the number of failed asylum seekers being removed from the UK has risen significantly. In 2004 over 1,000 asylum seekers were removed each month, compared with around 400 per month in 1996.
	In February 2005 we published our five-year strategy for asylum and immigration, "Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain". The strategy set out a range of measures to strengthen our border controls and reform our asylum system. We expect that the deterrent effect of these measures will further reduce the number of unfounded asylum applications in the United Kingdom. The 'New Asylum Model' will introduce faster tightly-managed processes for all new asylum claimants, including: a new screening process for asylum applicants that enables us to put them through a processing track tailored to the characteristics of their claim; a clear contact management strategy for each processing track including compulsory contact management for those not detained; and the introduction of specialist case managers who will manage each asylum case from application right through to integration or removal. Measures to strengthen our border controls include; the roll-out of fingerprinting of all visa applicants; expanding the network of airline liaison officers who advise check-in staff on forged documents; introducing electronic checks on all those entering and leaving the country; and the roll-out of new technology, including the e-borders programme, to create a fully integrated system of immigration control.

Departmental Legislation

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department from May 1997 up to and including April 2005, broken down by Act.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 11 November 2005
	The latest information available shows that between 1 May 1997 and April 2005 the Home Office created 404 new offences.
	Criminal offences may be created for different reasons and do not necessarily extend the scope of the criminal law. For example the Sexual Offences Act 2003 created and repealed a large number of offences without significantly changing the overall coverage of the law.
	The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 created two new offences. It also created nine racially-aggravated offences (amended by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 to "racially or religiously aggravated offences"), but these are based on existing offences and do not render unlawful behaviour which would otherwise have been lawful. The Data Protection Act 1998 created four new offences.
	The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 created 12 new offences. The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 created four new offences. The Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999 created one new offence.
	The Terrorism Act 2000 created 38 new offences. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 created four new criminal offences. The Football (Disorder) Act 2000 created two new criminal offences. The Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 created one new criminal offence. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 created 69 new criminal offences. The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 created two new criminal offences. The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 created 15 new criminal offences. The Vehicle (Crimes) Act 2001 created 12 new criminal offences. The Private Security Industry Act 2001 created 10 new offences. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 created 19 new offences. The International Criminal Court Act 2001 created two new criminal offences.
	The Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act 2002 created five new criminal offences. The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 created 19 new criminal offences. The Police Reform Act 2002 created 23 new criminal offences. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 created 28 new criminal offences.
	The Sexual Offences Act 2003 created, modified or re-enacted 61 criminal offences. The Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 created one new criminal offence and modified another. The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 created 15 new criminal offences. The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 created two new criminal offences.
	The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 created two new offences. The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 created eight new criminal offences and modified six criminal offences.
	The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 created three new criminal offences. The Drugs Act 2005 created two new criminal offences. The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 created 26 new criminal offences.

Domestic Violence

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic violence incidents were recorded in each region in Wales in the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Details of the numbers of domestic violence incidents are collected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) at police force level only (see table).
	The Government defines a domestic violence incident as:
	"Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who are, or have, been intimate partners or family members".
	This definition, commonly agreed in 2004–05, is wider than the previous Home Office definition and follows the definition already used by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Police forces are advised to count all incidents initially recorded as domestic violence regardless of the final outcome, e.g. if the incident is finally charged as an assault.
	Between 1999–2000 and 2000–01 the definition covered current and former partners but did not include violence between family members over 18. The definition was:
	"Any violence between current or former partners in an intimate relationship, wherever and whenever the violence occurs. The violence may include physical, sexual, emotional or financial".
	
		Number of domestic violence incidents in Wales
		
			 Force name 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05(31) 
		
		
			 Dyfed-Powys 2,841 3,261 3,356 3,775 3,960 
			 Gwent 3,149 2,007 2,500 2,196 2,192 
			 North Wales 3,436 4,553 6,606 4,930 n/a 
			 South Wales 7,782 10,030 13,479 14,986 14,796 
			 Wales (32)17,208 19,851 25,941 25,887 n/a 
		
	
	(31) Change in definition.
	(32) When considering the number of domestic violence incidents for Wales as a whole, there is a discrepancy between the 2000–01 figures for the number of domestic violence incidents provided by HMIC for this PQ and figures generated by HMIC for a PQ in 2002 (Hansard No. 56175 16/05/02). HMIC has advised that this may be due to the changes in the definition of a 'domestic violence incident' over this period which could have led to subsequent changes in the HMIC data.

Police

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many abandoned vehicles have been removed by (a) community support officers and (b) police officers under paragraph 10 of schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002 in each of the last four years, broken down by police authority.

Hazel Blears: This data is not collected centrally.
	However, the proportion of people who think that abandoned or burnt out cars in their area is big/fairly big problem has dropped from 14 per cent. in 2003–04 to 11 per cent. in 2004–05. (British Crime Survey figures).

Visa Waiver Programme

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what time limits apply to information about minor convictions of UK citizens given to United States' authorities under their Visa Waiver programme.

Tony McNulty: The UK does not provide the US authorities with criminal conviction information for visa application or similar purposes. Under the Data Protection Act 1984 an individual is entitled to obtain his criminal record details. It is a matter for the individual whether to disclose the information in support of a visa application or similar purpose.
	Criminal conviction information is drawn from the Police National Computer (PNC). All offences that might attract a prison sentence on conviction are recorded centrally together with about 50 more minor, non-imprisonable offences. The time limits for retaining such information on the PNC are in accordance with the current ACPO "weeding" rules.

"A Parent's Guide to Direct Payments"

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons "A Parent's Guide to Direct Payments", distributed by her Department, is no longer available in languages other than English; and if she will make it available in other languages.

Beverley Hughes: 'A Parents Guide to Direct Payments' was originally the responsibility of the Department of Health. It transferred to the Department for Education and Skills in June 2003 as part of the machinery of Government changes. Officials at DfES are arranging for the guide to be reprinted to reflect policy developments since the original version, and with the appropriate departmental changes. The reprinted guide will be available in the full range of languages from DfES Prolog 'reference 31213' by the end of January 2006.

G3 Academy, Chelmsley Wood

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills why her Department has opposed the installation of fire sprinklers in the new G3 Academy in Chelmsley Wood.

Jacqui Smith: The Department did not oppose the installation of fire sprinklers in Grace Academy, Chelmsley Wood.
	It is the Department's policy that each school plan, including that for Grace Academy, should be based on a fire risk assessment and where necessary incorporate the principles of fire engineering as an intrinsic part of its design. This is a statutory requirement of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations, (2003) with which Academies, as independent schools, must comply.
	All schools, maintained or independent are designed in accordance with the highest industry specifications to meet the functional requirements of the Building Regulations on Fire Safety. Sprinkler systems are primarily incorporated for property protection whereas the Department's main concern is that
	"the safe escape of the occupants in case of fire is reasonably assured".
	It is therefore felt that the use of automatic sprinkler systems is unnecessary. There is no requirement in The Building Regulations 2000 or the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations, (2003) for the installation of sprinklers to be included.
	The decision on whether or not to install a sprinkler system in Grace Academy rested upon the advice of the appointed independent fire consultant. The consultant's expert view was that a sprinkler system was not a requirement for life safety. Based on this advice Solihull metropolitan borough council's building control department accepted the project without a sprinkler system.

GCSE Results

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of 15-year-olds achieved five or more grades at A* to C at GCSE or equivalent which included GCSEs in English and mathematics in each year since 1995;
	(2)  what proportion of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A*to C or equivalent including English and mathematics, broken down by local education authority in (a) 1997 and (b) 2005;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of non-selective schools had more than 70 per cent. of pupils achieving (i) five GCSEs at grade A*to C or equivalent and (ii) five GCSEs at grade A*to C or equivalent including English and mathematics in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested can be found in the following tables:
	
		Table 1: Percentage of 15 year old pupils(49) achieving 5 or moreA*-C at GCSE or equivalent(50) including English and mathematics
		
			 Academic year Percentage 
		
		
			 2004/05(52) 44.1 
			 2003/04 42.7 
			 2002/03(51) 41.9 
			 2001/02 42.1 
			 2000/01 40.7 
			 1999/2000 40.0 
			 1998/99 38.6 
			 1997/98 37.0 
			 1996/97 35.6 
		
	
	(49) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August.
	(50) Figures from 1996/97 to 2002/03 include GCSE/GNVQs only, figures from 2003/04 include other equivalent qualifications approved pre-16.
	(51) Figures decreased in 2002/03 because percentage of pupils achieving A*-C in Mathematics decreased.
	(52) Figures for 2004/05 are provisional, all other figures are final.
	
		Table 2: Percentage of 15-year-old pupils(53) achieving 5 or more A*-C at GCSE or equivalent(54) including English and mathematics by local authority
		
			 Local authority Percentage 
		
		
			 Academic year 1996/97 
			 Barking and Dagenham 22.0 
			 Barnet 42.2 
			 Barnsley 21.0 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 40.2 
			 Bedfordshire 33.9 
			 Berkshire 40.0 
			 Bexley 35.6 
			 Birmingham 25.0 
			 Bolton 30.3 
			 Bournemouth 40.5 
			 Bradford 20.8 
			 Brent 30.1 
			 Brighton and Hove 27.1 
			 Bromley 42.5 
			 Buckinghamshire 50.4 
			 Bury 37.3 
			 Calderdale 29.4 
			 Cambridgeshire 34.9 
			 Camden 35.1 
			 Cheshire 37.5 
			 City of Bristol 22.6 
			 City of Derby 26.7 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 14.8 
			 Cornwall 36.0 
			 Coventry 27.1 
			 Croydon 28.4 
			 Cumbria 33.4 
			 Darlington 28.1 
			 Derbyshire 33.6 
			 Devon 33.8 
			 Doncaster 24.8 
			 Dorset 36.6 
			 Dudley 31.4 
			 Durham 27.4 
			 Ealing 28.2 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 34.2 
			 East Sussex 33.3 
			 Enfield 31.4 
			 Essex 35.0 
			 Gateshead 31.5 
			 Gloucestershire 41.6 
			 Greenwich 19.9 
			 Hackney 17.3 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 32.5 
			 Hampshire 37.6 
			 Haringey 17.9 
			 Harrow 40.0 
			 Hartlepool 19.6 
			 Havering 37.9 
			 Hereford and Worcester 34.8 
			 Hertfordshire 41.5 
			 Hillingdon 30.1 
			 Hounslow 31.3 
			 Isle of Wight 32.0 
			 Isles of Scilly 27.8 
			 Islington 16.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 28.0 
			 Kent 37.5 
			 Kingston upon Thames 44.7 
			 Kirklees 30.5 
			 Knowsley 14.6 
			 Lambeth 18.6 
			 Lancashire 34.6 
			 Leeds 28.5 
			 Leicester City 24.8 
			 Leicestershire 34.8 
			 Lewisham 19.4 
			 Lincolnshire 39.3 
			 Liverpool 23.8 
			 Luton 23.3 
			 Manchester 19.1 
			 Merton 30.1 
			 Middlesbrough 21.0 
			 Milton Keynes 21.9 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 24.9 
			 Newham 23.2 
			 Norfolk 34.0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 22.8 
			 North Lincolnshire 30.2 
			 North Somerset 38.3 
			 North Tyneside 31.0 
			 North Yorkshire 42.7 
			 Northamptonshire 31.3 
			 Northumberland 34.2 
			 Nottinghamshire 28.0 
			 Oldham 27.4 
			 Oxfordshire 36.7 
			 Poole 40.8 
			 Portsmouth 18.5 
			 Redbridge 39.3 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 30.0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 36.5 
			 Rochdale 25.3 
			 Rotherham 27.8 
			 Rutland 40.7 
			 Salford 22.1 
			 Sandwell 17.7 
			 Sefton 35.6 
			 Sheffield 29.3 
			 Shropshire 37.0 
			 Solihull 38.6 
			 Somerset 37.6 
			 South Gloucestershire 33.3 
			 South Tyneside 27.3 
			 Southampton 29.4 
			 Southwark 17.1 
			 St. Helens 30.0 
			 Staffordshire 34.5 
			 Stockport 40.8 
			 Stockton on Tees 28.9 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 22.5 
			 Suffolk 33.5 
			 Sunderland 26.1 
			 Surrey 40.0 
			 Sutton 47.3 
			 Swindon 34.9 
			 Tameside 28.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 15.0 
			 Trafford 44.3 
			 Wakefield 28.2 
			 Walsall 25.4 
			 Waltham Forest 25.0 
			 Wandsworth 23.2 
			 Warwickshire 34.9 
			 West Sussex 38.3 
			 Westminster 22.5 
			 Wigan 34.6 
			 Wiltshire 39.0 
			 Wirral 35.3 
			 Wolverhampton 23.3 
			 York 41.0 
			   
			 Academic year 2004/053 
			 Barking and Dagenham 36.7 
			 Barnet 57.2 
			 Barnsley 35.4 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 54.1 
			 Bedfordshire 46.0 
			 Bexley 47.3 
			 Birmingham 42.3 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 41.0 
			 Blackpool 34.9 
			 Bolton 41.7 
			 Bournemouth 46.9 
			 Bracknell Forest 44.0 
			 Bradford 35.7 
			 Brent 47.3 
			 Brighton and Hove 43.5 
			 Bristol 31.6 
			 Bromley 52.8 
			 Buckinghamshire 63.0 
			 Bury 53.8 
			 Calderdale 45.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 53.9 
			 Camden 43.5 
			 Cheshire 53.9 
			 City of Peterborough 42.3 
			 City of Plymouth 43.8 
			 Cornwall 49.7 
			 Coventry 41.1 
			 Croydon 45.9 
			 Cumbria 49.9 
			 Darlington 45.3 
			 Derby 42.4 
			 Derbyshire 47.6 
			 Devon 49.3 
			 Doncaster 38.0 
			 Dorset 52.8 
			 Dudley 43.4 
			 Durham 43.2 
			 Ealing 48.8 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 52.4 
			 East Sussex 45.3 
			 Enfield 45.5 
			 Essex 47.2 
			 Gateshead 43.9 
			 Gloucestershire 57.2 
			 Greenwich 37.4 
			 Hackney 40.4 
			 Halton 37.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 52.4 
			 Hampshire 53.1 
			 Haringey 35.9 
			 Harrow 56.5 
			 Hartlepool 39.4 
			 Havering 53.6 
			 Herefordshire 50.9 
			 Hertfordshire 55.3 
			 Hillingdon 41.4 
			 Hounslow 51.1 
			 Isle of Wight 34.1 
			 Isles of Scilly 90.9 
			 Islington 32.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 44.0 
			 Kent 50.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 65.4 
			 Kingston-upon-Hull 30.2 
			 Kirklees 42.0 
			 Knowsley 30.0 
			 Lambeth 37.4 
			 Lancashire 48.7 
			 Leeds 41.8 
			 Leicester City 35.7 
			 Leicestershire 51.0 
			 Lewisham 41.2 
			 Lincolnshire 49.9 
			 Liverpool 34.9 
			 Luton 38.1 
			 Manchester 30.7 
			 Medway 43.8 
			 Merton 40.2 
			 Middlesbrough 31.4 
			 Milton Keynes 44.5 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 36.0 
			 Newham 46.6 
			 Norfolk 46.9 
			 North East Lincolnshire 34.0 
			 North Lincolnshire 41.4 
			 North Somerset 50.8 
			 North Tyneside 44.8 
			 North Yorkshire 56.7 
			 Northamptonshire 45.0 
			 Northumberland 51.0 
			 Nottingham City 27.9 
			 Nottinghamshire 40.8 
			 Oldham 40.1 
			 Oxfordshire 49.2 
			 Poole 57.6 
			 Portsmouth 28.4 
			 Reading 41.4 
			 Redbridge 59.7 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 40.4 
			 Richmond upon Thames 50.9 
			 Rochdale 39.3 
			 Rotherham 41.9 
			 Rutland 56.5 
			 Salford 37.9 
			 Sandwell 30.2 
			 Sefton 44.2 
			 Sheffield 42.1 
			 Shropshire 55.9 
			 Slough 53.1 
			 Solihull 52.9 
			 Somerset 49.8 
			 South Gloucestershire 48.6 
			 South Tyneside 36.1 
			 Southampton 39.2 
			 Southend 50.2 
			 Southwark 31.8 
			 St. Helens 42.3 
			 Staffordshire 47.0 
			 Stockport 47.9 
			 Stockton on Tees 40.6 
			 Stoke on Trent 35.3 
			 Suffolk 49.1 
			 Sunderland 38.6 
			 Surrey 54.2 
			 Sutton 63.2 
			 Swindon 42.0 
			 Tameside 40.1 
			 Telford and the Wrekin 40.8 
			 Thurrock 38.8 
			 Torbay 48.8 
			 Tower Hamlets 31.8 
			 Trafford 62.2 
			 Wakefield 45.2 
			 Walsall 38.3 
			 Waltham Forest 41.0 
			 Wandsworth 44.9 
			 Warrington 51.1 
			 Warwickshire 49.4 
			 West Berkshire 51.3 
			 West Sussex 49.0 
			 Westminster 47.5 
			 Wigan 43.0 
			 Wiltshire 52.8 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 53.4 
			 Wirral 49.6 
			 Wokingham 59.1 
			 Wolverhampton 37.1 
			 Worcestershire 47.9 
			 York 49.9 
		
	
	(53) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31st August.
	(54) Figures from 1996/97 include GCSE/GNVQs, figures from 2003/04 include other equivalent qualifications approved pre-16.
	(55) 2004/05 figures are provisional, 1996/97 figures are final.
	(56) Due to reorganisation, LA names and boundaries are not comparable for 1996/97 and 2004/05.
	
		Table 3: Number and percentage of non-selective schools(57) with 70 per cent. or more of 15-year-old pupils(58) achieving (i) five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C or equivalent(59) and (ii) five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C or equivalent(59) including English and mathematics in each year since 1995
		
			  Numbers Numbers 
			  5+ A*-C 5+ A*-C inc. E&M 5+ A*-C 5+ A*-C inc. E&M Number of schools(57) 
		
		
			 2003/04 413 413 14.0 3.7 2,946 
			 2002/03 367 367 12.5 2.7 2,931 
			 2001/02 298 298 10.2 2.3 2,935 
			 2000/01 239 239 8.1 1.8 2,938 
			 1999/2000 208 208 7.0 1.6 2,954 
			 1998/99 180 180 6.1 1.5 2,964 
			 1997/98 115 115 3.8 0.8 2,999 
			 1996/97 79 79 2.6 0.8 3,000 
			 1995/96 73 73 2.4 0.7 3,001 
			 1996/95 52 52 1.7 0.5 3,003 
		
	
	(57) Includes maintained, mainstream schools with no selection policy upon entry.
	(58) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August.
	(59) Figures from 1996/97 include GCSE/GNVQs, figures from 2003/04 include other equivalent qualifications approved pre-16.
	(60) The number and proportion of schools are not provided for 2004/05 as this data is currently being checked by schools as part of the Achievement and Attainment tables checking exercise. Revised figures, which take account of any amendments made by the schools during this exercise will be published in January 2006.

Prison Population

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) teachers and lecturers and (b) learners amongst the prison population there were in each month in the academic year 2004/05.

Phil Hope: This information is not collated centrally by the Prison Service, and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
	New arrangements for the delivery of learning and skills, planned and funded by the Learning and Skills Council, were introduced in three development regions from 1 August 2005. Information on the number of learners for the first three months of the current academic year will be available for these regions later this month and I shall arrange to write to the hon. Member with the data when it is to hand.

Publicly Funded Courses (Drop-out Rate)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of learners who have enrolled on publicly funded courses since 1992 have failed to complete those courses, broken down by age bands of 10 years.

Phil Hope: Non-completion rates are not available on a consistent basis for all publicly-funded courses combined. Separate rates are available for; further education colleges and external institutions from 1998/99, work based learning providers from 2001/02 and HE institutions from 1996/97. The rates for each category of provision are NOT comparable with the rates for the other categories of provision because they are produced using different data collection systems and different methodologies. Within the three categories of provision the rates for each year are produced on a consistent basis.
	Due to the compulsory nature of pre-16 school education retention data for the schools sector is not currently collected centrally by government. Work is under way to develop a means of obtaining retention data for schools with sixth-forms.
	Non-completion rates for the three categories of provision are given on subsequent pages.
	Non-completion rates for Further Education Colleges
	Non-completion rates for the age groups 16 to 18 and 19+ are readily available from LSC benchmarking data and are shown in the following table. The resource required to break down non-completion rates into age bands of 10 years would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold for answering Parliamentary Questions.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Age band 
			 Year course due to finish 16–18 19+ 
		
		
			 1998/99 25 19 
			 1999/2000 25 20 
			 2000/01 24 19 
			 2001/02 19 17 
			 2002/03 18 17 
			 2003/04 17 15 
		
	
	Source:
	DfES analysis of LSC Benchmarking data. Further details of the benchmarking data can be found on the LSC website at: http://www.Isc.gov.uk/National/Partners/Data/Statistics/LearnerStatistics/LearningAimOutcomes/FESuccessRates/Default.htm
	Non-completion rates for Work Based Learning Providers
	Up to and including 2003/04 you could only start a Work Based Learning program if aged below 25 years of age. It is therefore not appropriate to break down non-completion rates into age bands of 10 years. Non-completion rates for all WBL learners are given in the following table.
	
		
			 Year of leaving Non-completion rate (all frameworks or NVQs) (%) 
		
		
			 2001/02 64 
			 2002/03 59 
			 2003/04 54 
		
	
	Source:
	LSC Individualised Learner Record. Further details can be found on the LSC website at: http://www.Isc.gov.uk/National/Partners/Data/Statistics/LearnerStatistics/LearningAimOutcomes/WBLSuccessRates/Default
	Non-completion rates for HE institutions
	Since 1996/97, information on non-completion rates for higher education students has been published annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in "Performance Indicators in Higher Education". The table gives the percentage of UK domiciled full-time first degree students expected neither to obtain an award nor transfer. The published figures cover students of all ages and are not calculated separately by age group. The figures for 2003/04 will be available in July 2006.
	
		
			 Students starting courses in: Non-completion rate (%) 
		
		
			 1996/97 16.0 
			 1997/98 16.0 
			 1998/99 16.0 
			 1999/2000 15.0 
			 2000/01 15.0 
			 2001/02 14.1 
			 2002/03 14.4 
		
	
	Source:
	Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA. Further details can be found on the HESA website by looking at the background to table T5 at: http://www.hesa.ac.uk/pi/0304/continuation.htm

Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition she uses for (a) a trust school, (b) a foundation school and (c) a voluntary aided school under the changes proposed in the White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools For All".

Jacqui Smith: The characteristics of trust schools are described in the White Paper. In the terms of the existing legislation governing categories of schools—the School Standards and Framework Act 1998—a trust school will be a foundation school with a foundation. At present the foundation of such a school may only appoint a minority of the governing body: we intend to provide for foundations (trusts) to appoint a majority of the governing bodies of trust schools. A foundation school, as described in the White Paper, is a foundation school without a foundation. We are planning no changes to the existing characteristics of foundation and voluntary aided schools.

Standards Fund

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was paid by her Department to (a) Buckinghamshire local education authority and (b) Milton Keynes local education authority under the ethnic minority achievement element of the Standards Fund in each year since 2003–04; how much is planned to be paid in each case in each year until 2007–08; and what the percentage change in (i) cash and (ii) real terms is between the amount paid in 2003–04 and the amount planned to be paid for 2007–08.

Jacqui Smith: Changes to the distribution of the Ethnic Minority Achievement (EMAG) element of the Standards Fund were introduced in 2004–05 to bring a better targeted, fairer and more sensible distribution to this grant. These changes were widely endorsed by the DfES "Aiming High: Raising the Achievement of Minority Ethnic Pupils" consultation of 2003.
	Total EMAG funding will increase by £10 million between 2005–06 and 2007–08.
	The redistribution of funding will lead to a small number of local authorities receiving less funding than they did under the previous system. However, losses in any one year will be limited to 0.05 per cent. of each authority's overall school funding.
	The allocations for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes for the years 2003–04
	to 2007–08 and the cash, as well as real terms changes, are detailed as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Programme year Buckinghamshire Milton Keynes 
		
		
			 2003–04 797,446 233,834 
			 2004–05 797,446 233,834 
			 2005–06 673,398 234,098 
			 2006–07(62) 549,350 241,545 
			 2007–08(62) 425,302 260,251 
		
	
	(62) Provisional DfES contribution.
	In 2003–04 to 2005–06 the DfES contribution was matched funded by local authorities at 50 per cent. grant rate.
	
		
			  Buckinghamshire Milton Keynes 
		
		
			 2003–04 (£) 797,446 233,834 
			 2007–08 (Provisional) (£) 425,302 260,251 
			 Actual difference (£) -412,231 +1,887 
			 Percentage difference real terms -51.7 +0.8

Undergraduate Student Grants

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money was spent on grants for (a) full-time undergraduate students and (b) part-time undergraduate students in (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08.

Bill Rammell: Our expenditure plans for grants to undergraduate students in higher education over this period are:
	
		
			£000 
			  FY 2005–06 FY 2006–07 FY 2007–08 
		
		
			 Full-time mandatory grants 722,500 816,000 919,000 
			 
			 Part-time mandatory grants 63,500 63,000 63,000 
			 Access to Learning Fund(66):
			 Full-time 55,000 46,000 37,000 
			 Part-time 3,000 12,000 12,000 
			 
			 Total 844,000 937,000 1,031,000 
		
	
	(66) Can be paid as grants or loans at the discretion of the institution.
	Note:
	The figures are inclusive of the funds that will transfer to Wales from September 2006 when HE student support devolves to the Welsh Assembly Government; the Access to Learning Fund (which can be paid as grant or loan); and the tuition fee grant which is paid directly to the institution. The tuition fee grant will be replaced by the tuition fee loan over the period.
	Funding to part-time students through the Access to Learning Fund is being increased significantly over the period.